The health ministers of the EU Member States, meeting in the EU ‘Employment, Social Policy and Consumer Affairs’ Council on Tuesday 14 March, expressed their full support for the EU Global Health Strategy, as presented at the end of November, “as a key element of the EU’s foreign policy” complementary to the Health Union.
“Stronger health systems around the globe benefit us all, quick actions against health threats – wherever they occur – is vital in an interdependent world”, said the Swedish Health Minister, Acko Ankarberg Johansson, who chaired the session. She added: “The exchange of views was very useful. It has provided us with the tools that we hope to use in international negotiations”, towards a WHO agreement or treaty on pandemic preparedness and response.
Asked to identify the synergies to be developed between EU health policy and global health, several ministers mentioned: - the Beating Cancer Plan; - digitalisation in the context of the European Health Data Space project; - antimicrobial resistance, which will be the subject of a recommendation in the context of the EU pharmaceutical strategy; - a stronger role for health in the EU’s external relations, development and trade policy and in international fora.
The European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides, reiterated the importance of speaking “with one voice”.
The Swedish Presidency is preparing conclusions to be adopted by the EU ‘Foreign Affairs/Development’ Council on 4 May (see EUROPE 13138/20, 13137/16).
Bulgaria, Poland, Lithuania and Hungary used this exchange to reiterate their request to review the third contract for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines with Pfizer and to respect the needs, specificities and budgetary capacities of all Member States. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)